A Warrior's Story
by Marishu Tajamoto
Summary: Much has been lost to the next generation of warriors. The forest is not how we see it. The clans are in danger of falling apart, and there is no one to stop them. When one clan leaves, what will happen to the other three?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors. I frankly wish that I did, but I don't. Humph. Sorry to start a story again with a battle, but it builds suspense. Yay, suspense! 

Moonlight shone down through the branches down into a clearing. Wind whispered softly through the grass. A river gurgled over boulders. Birds called sleepily from their trees.

Below in the clearing, dark figures moved. The cats flitted in and out of the moonlight, the true color of their pelts washed silver. As if on a silent command, they slipped out of the trees.

On the opposite bank, other cats were also detaching themselves from trees. They slipped into the water, kicking out strongly with their churning paws. Without even shaking the water from their pelts, the cats flung themselves forward.

A loud caterwaul erupted from a russet furred tom as he raced into battle. His companions followed him, bowling the other cats over. Soon, the clearing was heaving with cats. Claws flashed in the eerie light.

A screeching bundle of fur rolled past the russet tom. He lunged, pulling the enemy cat off of his clanmate. He bit down hard on the cat's tail and battered him with his hind paws. The russet furred tom didn't let go until the other cat screeched in pain. Then he leapt to his feet and watched the other cat run away. His clanmate got up slowly.

"Are you hurt, Pebbleclaw?" the russet tom asked.

Pebbleclaw winced. "Not too badly. But you should see Windsong when we get back to camp. She'll have a look at those scratches."

The tom growled. "Other cats have been hurt more than I have."

Pebbleclaw glared at him. "Foxpelt, that's an order. As your deputy, I order you to see Windsong as soon as possible."

"Then I'll have to claw off some more RiverClan fur before I go." He whirled

around and disappeared into the thick of fighting.

Pebbleclaw sighed, but followed Foxpelt even so.

A light gray she-cat was trapped under the weight of a much larger RiverClan she-cat.

Pebbleclaw sank his teeth into the tawny she-cat's shoulder, pulling her off of the apprentice.

"Run, Barkpaw!" Pebbleclaw yowled. Barkpaw nodded and leapt away.

The RiverClan warrior spun around, lashing out with both front paws, claws unsheathed. Pebbledclaw ducked and counterattacked with his hind paws. The RiverClan cat collapsed on top of him. Slippery as a snake, Pebbleclaw slid out from beneath the tawny cat. He raked his claws down her flank. Blood welt up under his claws.

The RiverClan she-cat hissed in fury, but she knew the battle was over. She backed up; her amber eyes pools of hatred.

She too disappeared into the fighting. Pebbleclaw leapt aside as a tabby tom lunged at him. He turned to retaliate, but claws raked down his side and he found himself under two bodies. Tabby fur smothered him. Someone had a firm grip on his tail and did not intend to let go. His paws were pinned down, exposing his stomach. Claws rake down his belly again and again. Pebbleclaw felt his strength ebbing away…

Then suddenly, the weight was lifted. Pebbleclaw raised his head. Foxpelt was dragging a RiverClan warrior off of him.

His face flushed with embarrassment. This was the second time that night that Foxpelt ad saved him.

The russet tom had taken care of the RiverClan queen, but his shoulder was bleeding badly and blood was dripping into is eyes. Foxpelt shook his head impatiently.

"We're losing the battle, Pebbleclaw," He said, his voice hoarse. "We'll all be killed."

Pebbleclaw growled deep in his throat. "RiverClan will not chase us out of our home!"

"But look at the clan!" Foxpelt argued, his neck-fur rising. "We don't stand a chance!"

Pebbleclaw gazed around the clearing. Yewpaw was hobbling on three legs and one of his eyes was swollen shut. Robinwing was leaning on Brownfoot's shoulder. Ferntail was chasing a RiverClan warrior but halted and had to limp. Barkpaw had a chunk missing from her ear. Yellowleaf was fighting against two RiverClan cats twice her size. Starfeather was helping her.

'We are losing,' Pebbleclaw realized with a jolt of dismay.

"ThunderClan, retreat!" Pebbleclaw yowled. A RiverClan cat raised his voice in victory. The rest of his clanmates cats joined in.

Hissing defiantly, the ThunderClan cats ran back into the trees. A group of RiverClan cats formed together. Pebbleclaw paused once he had passed the line of trees. The other ThunderClan cats had slowed their pace once they enterer the trees. Foxpelt stopped beside his deputy.

"What is it, Pebbleclaw?" Foxpelt asked.

"They're organizing a patrol," Pebbleclaw murmured thoughtfully to himself. The patrol was running toward the trees. Then it hit him.

"They're chasing us!" Pebbleclaw yowled. He plunged through the trees. Branches stung his muzzle. Foxpelt was hard on his paws, his tail streaming out behind him. "The fittest warriors come to the back! Apprentices to the front. All who are seriously injured stay near the middle!" Pebbleclaw commanded.

As the cats shifted into position, Pebbleclaw heard pawsteps pounding through the undergrowth.

"Hurry!" he called desperately. Pebbleclaw ran up beside Robinwing and let her lean on him.

Through the trees, Pebbleclaw could see dark pelts moving swiftly. RiverClan was catching up.

"Barkpaw!" Pebbleclaw called. The brown she-cat slowed down a bit to run along side him.

"Run as fast as you can. Alert the camp that RiverClan is going to attack. Tell them to go to the Treecutplace and climb the trees there."

Barkpaw nodded and sprinted away.

'Please let her get back safely,' Pebbleclaw prayed silently. 'She's our only hope.'

The group of cats was almost completely surrounded by their enemies.

"ThunderClan! We can't out run them! We must fight!" yowled Pebbleclaw.

Wearily, the ThunderClan cats slowed and turned to face the oncoming flood of RiverClan.

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	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors. I frankly wish that I did, but I don't. Humph.**

Barkpaw was running like she had never run before. The wind whistled through her fur and she sprinted in the forest that she knew so well and was her home. Now, she expected to find a RiverClan cat lurking behind every tree. The sounds of the battle had faded long before.

Her terror lent speed to her legs, powering her forward. She had a mission and she must not fail. The rest of the clan must be warned.

In her desperation, Barkpaw didn't notice the root protruding from the ground. It caught her hind paw and tripped her. Barkpaw heard a loud pop and pain lanced up her leg. She let out a howl of pain and then lay panting on the ground.

"Get up!" she said out-loud to herself through gritted teeth. "The clan needs you!"

Slowly, she pulled herself to her paws and leaned against a tree for support. She recoiled in disgust at her own weakness when the lives of many cats depended on her.

Hobbling on three feet, Barkpaw made her way between the trees.

Finally, she reached a tree just outside the tunnel that lead to the ThunderClan camp. Foam was gathering at the corners of her mouth.

Barkpaw collapsed on the ground, then raised her head and let out a howl. She howled and howled until she thought that she'd pass out from lack of air. Then, just as darkness at the corners of her eyes threatened to engulf her, she felt paws thudding on the ground and dropped to the ground in a moaning lump of fur.

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	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors. I frankly wish that I did, but I don't. Humph.**

Windsong raced out of camp, followed by her apprentice Streampaw, her elderly leader Cinderstar, an elder named Birchfall, and two queens with their kits.

Windsong gasped in horror when she saw Barkpaw. She hurried to the wounded apprentice's side.

"What happened?!" she exclaimed, bending over her.

"… Clan… trapped… Pebbleclaw said…" she managed to get out.

"Pebbleclaw said what?" asked Cinderstar, approaching the scene.

"… Go… go to… Treecut… place…" gasped Barkpaw. A spasm raked her body.

"Streampaw! Go back to camp! Get all of the herbs and bring them out here. Quickly," added Windsong. Her apprentice nodded and disappeared back into camp.

"Icestep," Cinderstar said, turning to the older of the two queens. "Round up the rest of the clan. We're going to Treecutplace."

Icestep too disappeared into the camp. Streampaw emerged, his jaws stuffed with herbs. He dumped them on the ground then dove back into camp to get the rest. Birchfall went to help him.

Windsong grabbed the herbs and carried them over to Barkpaw. The other queen was trying to calm the kits.

"Where's Pebbleclaw?" wailed a tiny kit. "I want my daddy!"

"Shhh," crooned the queen, rasping her tongue over the kit's ear. "Everything will be okay."

Windsong had bent over Barkpaw and rubbed some poultices on her cuts and scratches and was watching her regurgitate the yarrow that Windsong had given her.

Quickly, while Barkpaw's mouth was still open, Windsong stuck a slender paw loaded with herbs part way down her throat, then withdrew her paw and stroked Barkpaw's neck to make her swallow.

Cinderstar had come back with a bundle of water soaked moss in her jaws.

Windsong clamped the moss in her paws and squeezed the water into Barkpaw's mouth.

"We'll have to move her," Cinderstar said, watching Windsong. "We must go to Treecutplace."

Windsong rose stiffly. "There's no need," she said softly, her voice tight. "She's on her way to StarClan."

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	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors. I frankly wish that I did, but I don't. Humph. **

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**BTW, this chapter is taking place in the same time period as the previous chapters.**

Featherpaw woke with a start. The walls of the den were dark with shadow. Featherpaw could see a starry patch of sky through the thatched reed roof. She closed her eyes, letting the starlight soothe her nerves.

She pulled herself out of the den, shuddering as she left the toasty den and stepped into the crisp leaf-fall air. Less than half of the clan was in the camp. The rest were… Somewhere. Not here.

Featherpaw sighed. She wished that she had been chosen to join the patrol that went… Where did they go? It was well past Moonhigh.

Featherpaw shook her head to clear it. She wandered toward the edge of camp, only half noticing what she was doing.

Reeds crackled gently as she passed by them. Pebbles scattered beneath her paws as Featherpaw padded along the bank of the river. She sat down and began to wash herself with slow but strong strokes. She tried not to think of what might have happened to the patrol.

'It must have been big to keep them this long,' mused Featherpaw. Then without thinking, she dove into the water.

The river swirled around her like smoke. Featherpaw let the current drag her under until she settled to the bottom with a gentle bump. She started counting. '1, 2, 3…' She arranged herself in a more comfortable position. After a few seconds of just lying there, Featherpaw gently pushed up off the bottom and into the main flow of water. She let out a bit of her air and watched the bubbles swirl around her muzzle and then rise to the surface.

Featherpaw practiced one of her special moves; using her back legs and tail to propel her forward and her front paws to steer. '34, 35, 36…'

Diving back down to the bottom, Featherpaw searched among the rocks for a pretty shell or something like that. As she drifted by a large boulder on the river bottom, an object caught her eye. Swimming against the current, Featherpaw backtracked. When she saw what was there, half her air floated to the surface.

A round, almost shiny object was sticking out of the ground. Featherpaw dove down next to it. '56, 57, 58…'

Featherpaw dug her hind claws into the pebble-speckled bottom. She reached out with her front paws and touched the oval. Its surface was slippery and hard.

She gently tugged at the thing. It didn't move. She pulled harder, digging her claws into the surrounding rock to help it slid out. The oval pulled out a few inches.

Featherpaw steadied herself on a rock and pulled with all her might. The rock gave way and she was sent tumbling backward. '88, 89, 90…'

The object was weighing her down. She struggled with it, trying to swim with it clasped in her front paws. She let go of it, and then swam down to retrieve it from the river floor. '100, 101, 102…'

Featherpaw carefully rolled the object behind a large rock that broke the force of the current. She settled to the bottom, wondering about the mysterious thing that she had found. '115, 116, 117…'

Featherpaw scoured her mind for any name to suggest what the object was. She rolled it up the boulder, pushing it inch by inch up the rock face. '139, 140, 141…'

The object disappeared above the surface. Her head was inches beneath the air. '154, 155, 156…' She hurled herself out of the water. 160 seconds! Her new record!

But the victory was short lived. Curiosity soon overtook all of her other feelings. The object was lying in a small tide pool. Featherpaw padded cautiously over to it.

Now that she was out of the water, Featherpaw saw that the object was stone. It was round and smooth, perfectly shaped by the river's current. It sparkled in the moonlight. Featherpaw was fascinated by it.

Gently, she rolled it back along the riverbank, carefully keeping it away from the edge of the water. Back through the reeds they went, back to the camp. All of the cats were still sleeping. Featherpaw rolled the stone to the apprentices' den and to her nest.

She centered it in the middle of her nest and settled down around it. She was still wet and the rock was icy cold. But the moment that she touched it, she was instantly plunged into a deep sleep.

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	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors. I frankly wish that I did, but I don't. Humph.**

Rockpaw woke up in the RiverClan camp. He stretched, relishing the warmth in his muscles. He glanced over to the other apprentices' sleeping forms. His best friend's silvery pelt stood out.

Rockpaw padded over to the curled body. He prodded her gently with his paw.

"Wake up!" he hissed quietly. "The patrol must be back. Let's go and find out what happened."

Featherpaw rose slowly from her nest, blinking sleep out of her eyes.

"I had the strangest dream," she said, yawning. Sharp, white teeth surrounded her pink tongue.

"Come on! The patrol is in Sunstar's den!" Rockpaw urged.

They rushed out of the den as quietly as possible. The two apprentices used as much stalking skill as the possessed to creep up to the mouth of Sunstar's den.

"I can hear voices inside," breathed Featherpaw.

Together, they inched closer. Sure enough, Rockpaw could hear the voice of the deputy, Mistfoot, reporting the patrol further back in the den.

"… Then Foxpelt killed Grasstail," Mistfoot said.

Featherpaw let out a gasp. Rockpaw slapped his tail over her mouth. But the other cats had not heard.

"Foxpelt?!" exclaimed Featherpaw quietly.

"Yeah. He's in ThunderClan, isn't he? He was almost the deputy, but Pebbleclaw was chosen instead," Rockpaw mused. "Why was ThunderClan…"

"… We were closing in. One apprentice got away. We let her go. The rest turned to fight. Foxpelt was avenged…"

"Good," whispered Rockpaw. "How could a respected warrior like him kill a-"

"Shhhhh!" hissed Featherpaw.

"We used an apprentice to tell us where the camp was," Mistfoot continued. "He led us right to it. Before we came close…"

"Just like in my dream!" whispered Featherpaw.

"But how could you dream this?" Rockpaw asked, staring at her.

"I… I don't know…" she murmured.

"They were already leaving as we dragged the body into the ferns. We let them go, but not before giving them some wounds to remember us by," growled Mistfoot. There was a few seconds of silence. Then Sunstar spoke.

"Did they leave?" he demanded quietly.

"Yes," Mistfoot replied.

More silence. Then a cat started heading for the entrance to the den.

"Run!" hissed Rockpaw. They scrambled back. Featherpaw grabbed him by his scruff and yanked back. Rockpaw felt like he was falling through the air. He landed on a rock bank. He was being pulled. Reeds rustled around him. Featherpaw's face appeared upside-down over his.

"We're safe. For now," she said withdrawing.

Rockpaw rose stiffly to his paws. He ached all over. "Why did you do that?" he growled, glancing over to his friend.

Featherpaw licked her paw and drew it over her ear. "They would have found us, so I pulled you away," she explained.

"Oh. Thanks," Rockpaw said, embarrassed. He looked around, trying not to make too much noise. The other cats might hear them.

"Where are we?" he asked realizing that the scenery was unfamiliar.

"Where they won't find us," Featherpaw said simply.

"Here," she added, seeing his frustrated expression. "Close your eyes and keep them closed."

Rockpaw obeyed. Featherpaw touched his forehead with her paw. Suddenly, a sparkling blue river sprang into Rockpaw's mind, as clear as if he was looking at it.

He yelped, but kept his eyes tightly shut. The picture was moving now, across the river. It was picking up speed. Now it was hurtling down a barely visible trail, under a tunnel of roots. The world was blur as the picture rushed on, then…

Featherpaw was whispering in his ear. "You can open your eyes now."

They were back in the RiverClan camp, standing near the apprentices' den.

"Wha-" asked Rockpaw, confused. "How did you-"?

Featherpaw slapped her tail onto Rockpaw's mouth so forcefully the he was gagging on silver-gray fur. Her eyes were fiery with rage.

"Don't say a word of what happened just now to any cat," she hissed, narrowing her eyes in distrust. "You hear me?"

"Yeah, I guess," Rockpaw mumbled.

"Good," she said. Featherpaw whisked around and stalked away. Just at that moment the sun burst above the horizon, blinding Rockpaw. When his eyes had adjusted to the sudden light, Featherpaw had vanished.

Before Rockpaw had a chance to do anything, Sunstar leapt out of his den and bounded up the Highrock. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey, join beneath the Highrock for a clan meeting!"

Rockpaw reluctantly padded over to the Highrock. His denmate, Puddlepaw, was already there. He settled himself down beside the other appprentice's speckled gray flank.

"I wonder why Sunstar called a meeting," Puddlepaw said to no one in particular.

"Dunno," lied Rockpaw, though he knew what was coming.

Sure enough, Sunstar said, "A patrol found the body of Grasstail before dawn. By his smell, he was killed by a ThunderClan cat."

At the mention of Grasstail's death, a wail sounded from the clearing. A cat was bent over in grief, while another crouched on the ground, tail thrashing.

"Was his death avenged?" asked the agitated cat below. Sunstar nodded. The cat visibly calmed.

Sunstar continued on with his speech. Rockpaw only caught a few words. " Bravery… other cats… ThunderClan… attack…"

"Is Featherpaw here? I don't see her," Puddlepaw whispered in his ear.

Rockpaw shrugged half-heartedly, remembering their fight earlier.

Sunstar had finished his speech. "There has been a change in apprentices," Sunstar said, changing the subject. "Since Grasstail was Fishpaw's mentor, his new mentor will be Riverheart."

Rockpaw's head snapped up. "But that's my mentor!" he protested. Sunstar raised his paw to silence him.

"Rockpaw, I has been decided that you are apprenticed to Mistfoot," Sunstar finished.

Puddlepaw gasped. It was an honor to be the deputy's apprentice. Rockpaw stepped forward to receive his mentor. Mistfoot bent down and touched his nose with her own. Beside him, Fishpaw was doing the same old ritual with Riverheart.

"Get some rest," Mistfoot mewed. "We'll start training at sunhigh."

Rockpaw turned around and padded back to the apprentices' den. He gratefully plopped down on his nest and closed his eyes, welcoming sleep.

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End file.
